The problem is, an American politician can always count on "tough on crime" as am excellent vote getter, so, let's make every minor crime a felony with nice, long sentence in a program pretty much guaranteed to make one more of a criminal during their stay. Regardless of the high cost, now and the future. Because politicians are a pampered class that DESERVE their seats.

I mean you guys toss your income tax evaders into the slammer. Does that make any sense from a financial standpoint? Try to think it through.

Really, the rest of the civilized world thinks you are absolutely barking mad.

shanrick:For those who don't know: you just don't do that in Florida. It kills lots of animals, especially sea life such as turtles. which we like.

In general, we should probably cut down on the amount of helium we throw away via party balloons and such. It's a valuable material with some unique properties, and we can't make more of it, short of nuclear reactions. There's a good bit of it around, but our reserves are shrinking.

This isn't so much on the guy letting the balloons go (I agree with the $100/balloon 'Don't be a littering dick' fine, though.), as the general system. Given how critical helium is for scientific, defense, and medical applications, any other buyer should have to pay a hefty tax. Do that, and people won't piss it away in party balloons.

If there was some kind of edible latex, things would be different but there isn't and mylar is horrible for the environment.

It's sad, and I oppose jail as a punishment for all crimes, but it's understandable that it's illegal and people shouldn't be doing this without the resources to go collect their balloon when they're done.

Seriously the cop is a farking idiot and an asshat. Mylar balloons hold the helium for a week or more. Release one on the beach and it won't come down in the park just down the road. It may go to Europe, Africa or the west coast depending on the wind.

Yeah fark that European and African nature crap. Who cares? Let them suffer.

No, that's a straw man argument. A man's time out of prison is more valuable than the life of a sea turtle. Prison is not the answer to all problems. Think your position through more thoroughly.

President Merkin Muffley:Lenny_da_Hog: The Snow Dog: Mylar reflects radar. This could cause confusion for air traffic controllers and potentially could cause a catastrophjic accident. Because this is forseeable and because the guy released the balloons on purpose: it is an act of terrorism.

Send the farker to Gitmo!

It's also conductive and can cause damage to power grids.

Mylar is plastic and non conductive YOU DOLT.

Mylar itself is nonconductive, but Mylar balloons are typically coated with a metallic film to make them less gas-permeable, and incidentally, shiny.

FTA: "Children and balloons do not mix. Keep balloons out of your house."

Dear Mr. Darwin: We have become too weak to live. Please end this experiment quickly and mercifully. Sincerely, Humanity.

Also FTA: "Balloons, long exempted from regulation by the CPSC, kill more children than any other toy except for bicycles".

Yep. End it now, we really don't deserve to occupy the same planet as sharks and cats and even boring ol' bees. They all deserve this world. They kick arse and don't even bother to take names. We, on the other hand, die from... Bicycles... and Balloons. Pathetic.

In the redlit thread somebody quoted a specific law on releasing lighter than air balloons, with a small fine as penalty. Normally a specific law (no releasing balloons) overrules a more general law (no annoying mother nature). So he should get a $100 fine. But you never know in Florida.

RealFarknMcCoy2:zvoidx: Where is the responsibility of a citizen to have knowledge of this and all laws?

Is that also a law?

It is, and has always been, YOUR responsibility to know the law. If you don't know what laws may relate to - for instance - releasing helium-filled balloons, then you shouldn't do it without first ascertaining if it is legal. Same goes with jaywalking, stopping at stop signs, graffitti and any other unlawful act. Your responsibility to know and obey the law.

/just sayin'//don't think he should get jail time, particularly for a first offense.///do think that releasing helium-filled balloons should be illegal - kills lots of turtles. :-(

Hey everybody! It's one of those "you should know every single law in existence" types.

So can you tell about the time you read all 2500 pages of the US tax code? You memorized every word of it right? I'm sure you did your due diligence by spending quality time with the all the documents of law for your town and your state. Tells us how you have memorized every single law in existence oh wise one.

Liberal: OMG something is in short supply. We must make it illegal for the common people to use it and allow it's use only by the elite group we favor.

Conservative: It's in short supply. Let's find more supplies of it or find ways to make more of it. If it's in short supply, the price will go up and we'll make a profit on the new supply we create or find. Also let's look into ways to make more efficient use of it. That too is a possible way to make money.

I doubt that will piss anybody off.

It might confuse the hell out of a lot of people as they try to understand how this possibly relates to littering with balloons, though.

chimp_ninja:shanrick: For those who don't know: you just don't do that in Florida. It kills lots of animals, especially sea life such as turtles. which we like.

In general, we should probably cut down on the amount of helium we throw away via party balloons and such. It's a valuable material with some unique properties, and we can't make more of it, short of nuclear reactions. There's a good bit of it around, but our reserves are shrinking.

Why is there a helium shortage?

This isn't so much on the guy letting the balloons go (I agree with the $100/balloon 'Don't be a littering dick' fine, though.), as the general system. Given how critical helium is for scientific, defense, and medical applications, any other buyer should have to pay a hefty tax. Do that, and people won't piss it away in party balloons.

It's called the free market. Someone has some helium and someone else wants it. They agree on a price and the helium is exchanged for the agreed upon sum of money. If the scientists want to secure their supplies of helium, let them pay more than the guy who wants to put it in balloons. It's nobody else's business what the people who own the helium do with it.

Gyrfalcon:ZAZ: In the redlit thread somebody quoted a specific law on releasing lighter than air balloons, with a small fine as penalty. Normally a specific law (no releasing balloons) overrules a more general law (no annoying mother nature). So he should get a $100 fine. But you never know in Florida.

...are there heavier than air balloons?

Sure, you just have to fill them with something heavier. water, for instance.

Do the needful:pion: First, he was about 87 balloons short for this to not be a felony.

Second, helium balloons need to be outlawed, period. Helium is far too valuable to the scientific and medical communities to be wasted in balloons.

According to wikipedia "Helium is the second lightest element and is the second most abundant element in the observable universe, being present at about 24% of the total elemental mass, which is more than 12 times the mass of all the heavier elements combined."

So instead of making stupid ass new laws, if it's so important than find a new way to extract or isolate it. Jesus this is exactly what is wrong with this country. Instead of fixing a problem you want to pass a law against balloons. We are turning into a nation of pussies.

No, as you've so eloquently proven, we're turning into a nation of morons. You want to know where most of that helium is in the universe? Inside of stars. So I volunteer you to be the first to try to get it out. Throwing you into the sun should increase the world's IQ by a point or two.

Do the needful:pion: First, he was about 87 balloons short for this to not be a felony.

Second, helium balloons need to be outlawed, period. Helium is far too valuable to the scientific and medical communities to be wasted in balloons.

According to wikipedia "Helium is the second lightest element and is the second most abundant element in the observable universe, being present at about 24% of the total elemental mass, which is more than 12 times the mass of all the heavier elements combined."

So instead of making stupid ass new laws, if it's so important than find a new way to extract or isolate it. Jesus this is exactly what is wrong with this country. Instead of fixing a problem you want to pass a law against balloons. We are turning into a nation of pussies.

So, how do we fix the whole "mylar balloons shorting out power" and "wild animals dying from ingesting balloons" problems, Einstein?? Balloons aren't farking necessities - find another way to amuse yourself.

Oops. A whole bunch of science teachers and their kids are waiting for a 3 am knock on their door, followed by a battering ram breaking down the door.Swat's gonna apprehend those balloon terrorists. Sleep well tonight, unless you've ever "accidentally" a mylar balloon.

zvoidx:Where is the responsibility of a citizen to have knowledge of this and all laws?

Is that also a law?

There is something about ignorance of the law not making someone exempt from it.

I do think prison would be a bit much, but on the other hand if it was just a small fine or warning no one would ever stop doing it, and it would take people longer to hear about. Somewhere in the middle would be ideal. People seriously need to stop this kind of crap immediately.

I thought you were gonna post a vid link that explained the specific dangers of balloons to animals.

That was a bit of a disappointment in that regard.

Mass balloon releases as publicity stunts have been around for a while. Educating the public on the specific dangers to wildlife caused by such and changing laws to reflect that will take some time. This just looks like arbitrary enforcement of a rarely used law with possible racist bias.

The Snow Dog:Mylar reflects radar. This could cause confusion for air traffic controllers and potentially could cause a catastrophjic accident. Because this is forseeable and because the guy released the balloons on purpose: it is an act of terrorism.

Mylar reflects radar. This could cause confusion for air traffic controllers and potentially could cause a catastrophjic accident. Because this is forseeable and because the guy released the balloons on purpose: it is an act of terrorism.